Hypersomnia due to Medication or Substance

Patients diagnosed with hypersomnia due to medication or substance use may have excessive nocturnal sleep, daytime sleepiness, or excessive napping that is attributable to use of sedating medications, alcohol, or drugs of abuse. Hypersomnolence may also be caused by withdrawal from stimulants. Sleepiness is a common effect of drugs which affect the central nervous system. Sleepiness becomes a side effect when it negatively affects waking behavior. Drugs commonly associated with sedating side effects include a number of psychotherapeutic compounds, antihistamines, drugs used in the treatment of seizure disorders, and drugs used to treat pain. Drugs used in the treatment of insomnia may cause undesirable sleepiness if their effects carry over into waking hours. Magnitude of medication-related sedation is dependent on many factors including dose, half-life, and receptor binding profile. Age, concomitant medications, and comorbid disease may influence the degree of sleepiness as well.